Chelsea caretaker manager Frank Lampard has challenged his players to put on a show when they face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Thursday night.
The Londoners will make the journey north looking to arrest a two-game winless run and derail United's hopes of clinching a top four finish and securing Champions League qualification. The Reds need just a point from their last two games to wrap up both of the aforementioned achievements.
Chelsea, on the other hand, have nothing but pride to play for in their last two games. They have experienced one of their worst seasons in their history, so much so that they cannot finish any higher than 11th in the Premier League table.
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They suffered their fifth defeat in seven league matches since Lampard's return to the managerial hot seat on Sunday, losing 1-0 to Manchester City on a joyous afternoon for the home side at the Etihad Stadium. But although the current circumstances concerning City and United are completely different, Lampard is preparing his players in the same manner.
"It is a similar situation to approaching playing Manchester City, albeit they had won the league the night before," said Lampard, speaking at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday lunchtime.
"They [United] are a high-level team so it is the same point from where I approached going into the City game, and how the players approach it more importantly.
"People think we have not got much on the game and the players have to show them there is, in terms of their personal and collective approach to it. We will have to go there with a good mentality as they are fighting for something we have fought for for many years, and now we are not in that position, so players need to show."
Meanwhile, England internationals Reece James, Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount, as well as January signing Benoit Badiashile, will all miss the trip to M16 through injury. Joao Felix, however, could feature.
Lampard added: "Mason, Reece and Chilly [Chilwell] won't make the game, Benoit Badiashile we know is out. Joao had a small injury at the weekend and he is back involved."
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